[Karyir Riba]
ANINI, 11 Nov: The Dibang Multipurpose Project Affected Area Committee (DMPAAC) has expressed displeasure and doubts over a circular from the office of the Dibang Valley (DV) deputy commissioner, asking the landowners to submit their details to the office.
A circular signed by the DC, dated 9 November, 2021 has requested “all affected landowners whose land has been acquired in connection with 2,880 mw NHPC hydro project under DV to submit their details such as name, father’s name, present address, village name, Aadhaar number, bank name, bank account number and branch IFSC code, as per the format enclosed to the land management branch, Anini.”
The circular mentions that these details should be submitted without fail, latest by 12 November.
However, the DMPAAC has questioned “the legality of the DA to collect bank account details of beneficiaries when the matter is sub judice.”
DMPAAC chairman Nogoro Melo said that the landowners have not been told about the exact amount in terms of payment of compensation yet.
“No information regarding the exact compensation amount or modalities as to how individual beneficiaries will be paid has been provided to the beneficiaries. In this context, the circular could amount to being challenged before the high court as being arbitrariness, illegality and injustice to the genuine beneficiaries,” he said.
The committee also indicated that “interference by certain politicians who have no role to play in the land acquisition matters as per land law is not being appreciated by the project affected people.
“Interference made by politicians in the matter has hurt the sentiments of the beneficiaries,” it said.
In a letter addressed to the land management commissioner and director and the Dibang Valley DC, the DMPAAC demanded that “the modalities for payment, exact amount for compensation, and the 11 parameters applied for the payment of compensation be made public and made known to the beneficiaries.”
It also said that “no third party should further be allowed to interfere in the matter for the interest and justice of the land-affected beneficiaries.”
When asked about the circular, Deputy Commissioner Pagli Sora said that his office is “simply following government orders.”
